African-American parents’ knowledge and perceptions about BMI measurements, school-based bmi screening programs, and BMI report cards: Results from a qualitative investigation and implications for school-to-parent communication

School-based body mass index (BMI) screenings can help parents make informed decisions about their child’s health, but schools have questioned parents’ understanding and attitudes about BMI measures and report cards. Although researchers have investigated minority parents’ perceptions of their child’s weight, no research has explored minority parents’ knowledge and perceptions related to BMI measurements, school-based BMI screening programs, and BMI report cards. To address this gap, focus groups were conducted (n=20) with female Black or African-American parents/guardians from a large urban school district. Participants were asked to share their perceptions before and after receiving education about BMI measurements and screening programs. Pre-education: Many participants had heard of BMI, thought it was similar to body fat, believed screenings were intended to track students’ weights and monitor eating habits, and were concerned that screenings could cause their child embarrassment. Post-education: Most participants did not object to screenings, but said they would have without education about why and how BMI measurements are taken. They also voiced concerns about lack of prior notice, confidentiality, and the need for schools to serve healthier food. Some of these findings support those of other qualitative studies of parents’ concerns about BMI screenings, but no previous studies have compared parents’ perceptions of screening programs pre-/post-education. The results reinforce that schools’ efforts to explain what BMI measurements are as well as why and how they are taken can increase parents’ confidence in the schools and level of comfort with BMI screening programs and report cards.